New Kitchen GlasswareBy Mark Chervenka

New Kitchen Glassware

A line of new kitchen glassware is available in the market. Most pieces are in opaque green glass commonly called Jadite but some are also available in vaseline and cobalt blue.

For the first time, colored glass funnels are included among the shapes being reproduced. Three sizes of new funnels are available: two, four and eight ounces (Figs. 5-6). All the new funnels are ribbed on the inside, smooth on the outside and marked in ounces under the top rim (Fig. 7). Our funnel samples included Jadite, vaseline and cobalt blue. All the new funnels can be identified by their almost solid glass spouts with crude grinding. Spouts on original glass funnels were open from side to side (Figs. 9-11).

New Jadite mortar and pestle sets are available in two sizes which are marked on the bottoms in ounces: 4 oz. (Fig. 2) and 2 oz. (not shown). Each Jadite mortar comes with a clear glass pestle which is also marked with the size in ounces.

Two new pieces, the one cup measure in Fig. 1 and the reamer in Fig. 3, are made in original Westmoreland molds. These shapes have been reproduced since at least the early 1990s in other colors. The original Westmoreland reamer and measure were never made in Jadite.

The new vaseline fluoresces under black light and the new Jadite shows red opalescence along edges so be careful in judging age. The best way to avoid the reproductions is to learn the colors in which originals were made. Also remember that most all reproduction glass, including these pieces, has a greasy slippery feel to the surface.

Fig. 1 New one cup measure in Jadite. From original Westmoreland mold. Price new, $10

Fig. 6 New cobalt blue glass 8 ounce funnel. Marked 8 OZ. All the new funnels are smooth on the outside and have raised ribs on the inside. Eight ounce size is 5¼" diameter across the mouth. Prices for all colors of new funnels was $5-$7 depending on size.

Fig. 7 New vaseline 4 ounce funnel. Close up view showing how ounce size is molded just below mouth.

Fig. 8 Original ribbed glass funnel as shown in turn of century wholesale druggist supply catalog. Note width of spout.

Fig. 9 All of the new glass funnels have roughly ground spouts. The spouts are almost solid glass with only a very small opening for any liquid to flow through. The walls of spout openings on original glass funnels were no thicker than the other walls of the funnel.

Fig. 10

Spouts on new glass funnels are almost solid glass with only very small openings (arrow). The area around the opening has a frosted finish.

Fig. 11

Spouts on original glass funnels are open from side to side with thin glass walls (arrow).